Vodafone has pulled the plug on its long-running sponsorship of the Formula
One team McLaren, worth $75 million a year, after conducting a review of the
deal on the back of last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

It comes on the eve of the first race of the season in Australia and ends the
mobile phone company’s association with Formula One racing that stretches
back more than a decade.

Morten Lundal, chief commercial officer at Vodafone, said the decision to part
ways with McLaren was a sign of the times. “Our brand is evolving, and we’ve
concluded we will have less